Casing for outside steam pipes



June 7, w GRAY CASING FOR OUTSIDE STEAM PIPES Original Filed March 16, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet H R G. GRHX Patented June 7, 1932 PATNT I .WALTER G. GRAY, OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS CASING FOR OUTSIDE STEAM PIPES Application filed March 16, 1927. Serial No. 175,733. Renewed November 6, 1931.

This invention relates to casings for the outside steam pipes of locomotives or for the portions of the steam pipes which pass through the shell of the smoke box and lead to the valve-chests of the locomotive cylinders.

An object of the invention is to produce a relatively inexpensive casing which shall hermetically seal the openings through wlnch m the steam pipes pass so that there may be no ingress of air whatever to the smoke box, and which though permitting or compensating for expansionand contraction due to heat, and play incident to vibration of the locomol6 tive, shall nevertheless malntam a perfect sealing of the openings for an indefinite period.

A further object of the inventlon 1s to eliminate the necessity of welding an lntegral element to both the outside steam pipe and the shell of the smoke box which frequently breaks due to the unequal expansion of the steam pipe and the shell of the smoke box.

With these and further objects 1n V ew 5 which will appear in the detailed description of my device, my invention consistsin the construction, arrangement and combmatlon of the various parts of my device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention completely assembled;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view;

5 Figure 3 is a plan view with the upper por tion of my casing removed;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the various elements constituting my invention and;

Figure 5 is an elevational view showing the type of joints used upon the interior element.

Throughout the drawings similar reference characters refer to like parts in the various views.

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates the outside element which is in two parts, 11 and 12, in order to allow for easy attachment to the steam pipes. The element 10 consists of an enlarged base portion 13 and a collar portion 14 extending from the upper surface of the base portion 13. The collar portion 14 has a flange 15 at the upper portion thereof which is of suitable configuration so as to embrace the shell of the smoke box closely. The collar 14 has also the vertical flanges 16 through which pass the bolts 17 for securing the two sections together.

The base 13 is provided with the aperture lugs 18 through which pass the bolts 19 which also bind the two sections of the element 10 together.

The member 10 is provided with an interior recess 20 in which the interior element 21 formed in two sections, 22 and 23, is adapted to seat. The element 21 is provided with lugs 24 having apertures therein for the bolts 25. The dividing line between the two sections, 22 and 23, is of a staggered nature as shown at 26 in Figure 5. The recess 20 in base element 13 has leading therefrom additional recesses 27 to accommodate the lugs 24 upon the interior member 21.

The top surface 28 and the bottom surface 29 of the recess 20 are constructed so as to make a tight contact with the top surface 30 and the bottom surface 31 of the element 21. The recess 20 is of slightly greater depth than the thickness of the element 21 so as to allow for the expansion of the element 21 due to heat.

The assembly of my device is accomplished as follows:

The element 21 is 'first clamped tightly upon the outside steam pipe in an obvious manner. Since the outside steam pipe is generally of cast steel and the outside surface is therefore generally very uneven the top and bottom of the ring 21 is welded to the steam pipe 32 to prevent leakage due to the irregularities in the steam pipe surface. The char- I acters 33 and 34 in Figure 2 indicate generally the inner circumferential portions of the ring 21 which are welded to the steam pipe 32. The element 10 is then placed over the element 21 and due to the tight fit between the top and bottom surfaces of the recess 20 and the top and bottom surfaces30 and 31 of the element 21 an air tight seal is made which will prevent any air leaks whatever. The flange 15 can be welded or secured to the shell of the smoke box in any manner desired. The usual packing or lagging is then placed on the outside of my casing in an obvious manner in order to prevent loss due to radiation.

Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, 30 indicates a partial portion of the smoke box and the reference character 31 indicates where the flange 15 is welded to the shell of the smoke box.

The member 10 with its collar portion 14 does not make a tight fit against the steam pipe 32 since it is desired that suflicient room he allowed for the expansion of the steam pipe. The inside diameter therefore of the element 10 and the collar 14 with the flanges 15 to 16 is slightly larger than the outside diameter of the steam pipe 32.

Locomotives are designed ordinarily to furnish a six or seven inches pull of draft. This is the ordinary draft and is generally sufiicient for all purposes. However, if air leaks occur around the outside steam pipes this will cut down the draft so that it would not be sufficient if a fine coal is used and the air leaks would then cause a failure of steam. The importance of eliminating any possibility of air leaks is therefore apparent and the invention above set forth will eliminate air leaks and will therefore remove any danger of a failure of steam.

From the above disclosure it is therefore apparent that the ring 21 expands with the steam pipe since it may be considered to be integral therewith. In some cases it may be desirable to cast the ring 21 integral with the steam pipe but in such a case it would be necessary to smooth the surfaces 30 and 31 in order to make a tight sliding contact with the surface 28 and 29. The element 10 with the collar 14 will expand with the shell of the smoke box which, of course, is not so great an expansion as occurs with the element or ring 21. However, the recess 20 is a little larger in depth than the element 21 and this will take care 'of the difference in expansion between the elements 10 and 21. It is therefore seen that even with the unequal expansion of the members 10 and 21 there is maintained at all times an air tight joint between the steam pipe and the smoke box without, however, any strain which would be liable to break the connection occurring within the various elements constituting my invention.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the invention above set forth without departing from the real purpose and spirit thereof, and it is the intention to cover by the following claims, any modified forms of structure or use of equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claimz- 1. The combination with a locomotive boiler smoke box and a steam supply pipe extending through the smoke box shell, of a casing comprising a member supported upon said pipe, a second member having an air tight groove in which said first member is located and said second member having a portion making an air tight connection with the shell of said smoke box.

2. The combination with a locomotive boiler smoke box and a steam supply pipe extending through the smoke box shell of a casing comprising a member supported upon said pipe, a second member having a groove slightly larger than said first member for receiving said first member. and allowing for expansion of said first member and means upon said second member for joining said second member to said smoke box.

3. The combination with a locomotive boiler smoke box and a steam supply pipe extending through the smoke box shell of a casing comprising a member supported upon said pipe, said member being in sections, means whereby said sections may be clamped upon the steam pipe and a sectional second member having a groove in which said first 5/ mentioned member is located for enclosing sa1d first mentioned member.

.WALTE R G. GRAY.

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